Chapter 88: Return to the Mo Wang Castle
Misha grabbed the Yong Zhe and flew away.
Genesis and Arlo remained where they stood, necks craned as they watched the figures disappear into the silhouettes of the trees. For a long moment, they couldn’t quite wrap their heads around the bizarre turn of events.
After a short silence, Genesis turned to Arlo with a complicated expression. Lowering her voice, she asked, “Did Misha… get the order wrong?”
Arlo: “…”
Their original plan was simple: Misha, in his persona as a Divine Envoy, would confess his feelings to the Yong Zhe and steal a kiss. Then, while the Yong Zhe was still dazed and confused, Misha would reveal his true form as the Mo Wang and kidnap him. The goal was to ignite the Yong Zhe’s fury, making him believe everything—every moment of affection—had been nothing more than the Mo Wang’s cruel trickery.
But Misha had done the opposite. He revealed his Mo Wang identity first, then unfurled his wings. As for what happened next, Genesis couldn’t see clearly, but through the gaps in Misha’s massive wings, she had glimpsed their legs pressed close together. The Yong Zhe had even stood on his tiptoes. Yeah, they definitely kissed.
Doesn’t this scene just look like the Mo Wang confessed his love and then whisked the Yong Zhe away?
It was too strange. Even for Genesis, who considered herself a connoisseur of romance stories, this development was baffling.
She shook her head, unable to figure out what was going on. Arlo, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to say something. After a moment’s hesitation, he couldn’t help but whisper, “Actually…”
Genesis immediately turned to him.
“I’ve always felt that the Yong Zhe… has a bit of an interest in the Mo Wang,” Arlo muttered under his breath.
Genesis: “Eh?”
“The first time Misha tried to ambush him, he chased Misha just because he wanted to squeeze Misha’s tail,” Arlo said, his voice very low. “Squeezing a Mo Wang’s tail? Isn’t that just straight-up harassment?”
Genesis: “…”
Genesis’s mood became even more complicated.
What kind of weirdo Yong Zhe was this?!
How could he like both the Mo Wang and the Divine Envoy at the same time? Two-timing like that… how hateful!
Arlo sighed, looking worried. “Well, at least he managed to bring the Yong Zhe to the Mo Wang Castle.”
Genesis was equally concerned. “Now, everything depends on Misha.”
He was, after all, Alisa’s most outstanding student. He wouldn’t fail at something like this, would he?
The two looked at each other and simultaneously let out a deep, heavy sigh.
In the next moment, they heard the sound of stumbling footsteps. Someone was running toward them in a panic. Arlo’s heart skipped a beat as he remembered that Samuel was in the direction Misha had flown. Samuel was an innocent bystander who knew nothing; they still had to explain this entire mess to him.
Arlo took a deep breath and turned around.
Samuel was trembling with fear. “Just now… did you see that? Was that the Mo Wang?!”
Arlo put on a solemn face. “We might need to head to the Royal Capital first.”
Samuel froze. He looked around and realized that Lance was gone.
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind. Only one thought remained.
“Arlo…” Samuel’s voice shook, unable to believe what he was seeing. “Lord Lance has been kidnapped by the Mo Wang!!”
Misha didn’t actually plan on taking Lance back to the Mo Wang Castle.
He felt it was an unnecessary detour. They needed to check the Star-gazing Grounds in the Dragon Race’s territory, so it made more sense to fly straight there, call Zebulun, and figure out what was wrong with the sky.
But Lance didn’t agree.
He didn’t think Arlo and Genesis would just leave Misha alone. They would definitely try to contact him. If they weren’t at the Mo Wang Castle when that happened, they’d be in real trouble.
At the very least, they had to stop by the castle to make preparations, if only to fool Arlo and Genesis for the time being.
Lance had told him flat out: “We have to keep up appearances, at least for a bit.”
Misha: “…”
Misha felt that Lance was enjoying this a little too much.
However, at a time like this, Misha had to admit that the Yong Zhe was indeed smarter than him. Listening to the Yong Zhe’s advice was usually more effective than his own reckless fumbling.
So, Misha estimated the direction of the Mo Wang Castle and, clutching the Yong Zhe, flew toward it at high speed.
Fortunately, the Elven Holy Land wasn’t too far from the Mo Wang Castle. With the boost of magic, Misha soon arrived at a clearing within the castle walls.
He landed gently, still gripping Lance’s belt as he dragged him forward a few steps. Seeing no other monsters around, he was about to let go when Lance whispered, “You should probably bind my hands.”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “Just binding my hands might not be enough. How do you guys usually restrict prisoners?”
Misha: “…”
Misha was utterly shocked.
Who makes a request like that?!
He hesitated for a moment but eventually waved his hand. Magic coalesced into chains, lightly binding Lance’s wrists before wrapping a few loops around his torso to complete the look of a captured hero. Misha held the end of the magical chain in his hand and whispered, “Let’s go.”
Lance smiled and winked at him.
Misha: “…”
Misha didn’t know why Lance was looking at him like that, but whenever Lance gave him that smiling gaze, his heart always seemed to skip a beat.
Well, just a tiny bit.
Walking a bit further, Misha spotted a Rotting Shadow Knight patrolling the castle.
He waved to the knight, who immediately came clattering over. Rotting debris fell from the gaps in its armor with every step. Its helmet was a void of darkness, save for two glowing cyan lights where eyes should be. Right now, those lights were burning brightly, filled with excitement. In a raspy, echoing voice, the knight shouted:
[Mo Wang-sama—You’re back—back—]
Misha nodded.
The Rotting Shadow Knight turned its gaze toward the Yong Zhe at Misha’s side. It asked, puzzled:
[Human—man—?]
Misha: “Uh…”
He didn’t want to reveal too much to the public. But if he simply treated the Yong Zhe as a common prisoner, Lance’s life in the Mo Wang Castle might become quite miserable.
While Misha was hesitating, Lance beat him to it.
“I am the Mo Wang’s trophy,” Lance said.
Misha: “?”
Misha desperately wanted to correct him.
“This is the Human Yong Zhe!” Misha said loudly. “I captured him myself!”
The Rotting Shadow Knight’s head creaked as it turned to look at Lance, then creaked back to look at Misha.
[As expected of Mo Wang-sama—sama—] The knight’s cyan eyes glowed even brighter with fervor. [I admire Mo Wang-sama the most—most—]
Misha: “…”
Misha made up a random excuse on the spot.
He claimed that the Yong Zhe was incredibly powerful and cunning, so he required strict supervision. For an ordinary monster, this would be an impossible task, but for the Mo Wang, it was different.
He would personally guard this Yong Zhe, watching him day and night to ensure he didn’t cause any more trouble.
The monsters never questioned Misha’s decisions.
Or rather, Misha had always felt that the monsters’ brains were even less functional than his own.
They brought over a massive iron cage and dragged it before the Mo Wang’s throne. They shoved the Yong Zhe inside, and finally, Misha cast a spell on the giant lock to prevent any escape. Only then did the monsters retreat. Misha slammed the heavy stone doors shut with a loud thud and nervously walked back.
Lance sat in the cage, his hands still bound by magic chains, staring at him.
Misha: “…”
For some reason, Misha felt a strange… secret thrill at this scene.
He thought to himself: This annoying Yong Zhe has bullied me for so long, and now he’s finally in my hands as my prisoner.
Even though the imprisonment was fake and he’d have to let him out soon, just this brief moment of superiority made Misha very happy.
Misha cleared his throat and walked up to the cage. He looked down at Lance, who was sitting in the corner.
Lance blinked at him.
Misha felt proud and satisfied, but as an ally, he knew he couldn’t keep this up. He reluctantly asked, “Want to come out?”
He was already prepared to dispel the magic, but Lance smiled and said, “Not yet.”
Misha: “Eh?”
“Arlo and the others might contact you,” Lance explained. “They might even try to sneak into the Mo Wang Castle.”
Misha: “…I don’t think they’d go that far.”
Lance: “The monsters in the castle might see us, too.”
Misha: “They won’t come in here!”
“Undo the chains first,” Lance said after a thought. “But to be safe, don’t open the cage door.”
Misha: “…”
How strange. Why would anyone make such a request?
But Misha really liked this request!
He unhesitatingly dispelled the chains on the Yong Zhe. Watching Lance stretch his wrists, Misha couldn’t help but ask, “Should I call Zebulun over now?”
Lance: “Yes.”
They had left Arlo and Genesis behind, and the two would certainly try to get in touch soon. But once that initial check-in was over, as long as they maintained the illusion that the Yong Zhe was locked up, Misha figured Arlo and Genesis wouldn’t suspect much.
According to Zebulun, the Dragon Race’s Star-gazing Grounds were located within their Holy Temple. It wouldn’t be easy to get in, but with someone as terrifyingly powerful as the Yong Zhe, Misha doubted there was anywhere they couldn’t infiltrate.
And they had promised to take Zebulun with them.
Misha closed his eyes and softly called Zebulun’s name three times, summoning him to the Mo Wang Castle. His magic never disappointed. Moments later, a magical mist filled the room. As it cleared, Zebulun appeared, holding his ancient book as usual. He calmly looked up at the two—
He looked at Misha in his Mo Wang form, and then at Lance, who was locked in a cage.
Zebulun: “…”
He sucked in a sharp breath.
Misha didn’t think much of it and simply said, “Zebulun, we’ve already been to the Elven Holy Land.”
Zebulun didn’t seem to hear him.
His eyes were wide with shock. After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a few words: “You… you two…”
No, the affairs of couples are too complicated. I shouldn’t say anything.
Zebulun stopped abruptly, swallowing the less-than-polite words he was about to utter. He carefully rephrased his thoughts, gave Misha and Lance a simple, forced smile, and then quickly lowered his head.
Misha: “…”
Just finish your sentence! This is making it way more awkward!
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